Jesús Rodríguez González
Twenty-four year old Spanish violist Jesús Rodríguez is widely recognized for his performances, which combine the spontaneity and fearless imagination of youth with the discipline and precision of a mature artist. He has been praised for his authority over the most complex technical demands of the repertoire as well as for the depth of his musical insight.
After joining the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester (GMJO) in 2008, Jesús became its Principal Violist and Soloist in 2010. With the GMJO he has performed in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Luxemburg, Italy, Greece, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Spain, in halls such as the Musikverein of Vienna, Konzarpalatz of Frankfurt, Alte Oper of Luxemburg, Teatro Verdi of Pisa, Auditorio Nacional of Madrid, Teatro San Carlo of Naples, and Megaron of Athens, among others. Some notable conductors who he has performed under are Antonio Pappano, Herbert Blomstedt, Ingo Metzmacher, as well as soloists such as Han-Na Chang, Hakan Handerberger, and Leonidas Kavakos.
Jesús has been a prize winner of numerous competitions including the 2010 “Angel Muñiz Toca” prize and the Mannes College of Music of New York Presidents Award Scholarship. In 2009 he received the “Cajastur Young Artist” Scholarship and in 2008, he won the “Caja Madrid Chamber Music” and “Young Artist Intercentros” National competitions. He was also the winner of the “Young Soloist Competition” in León in 2007.
Jesús made his debut at the age of 13 in the Auditorio Principe Felipe of Oviedo, Spain. Since then he has had numerous critically acclaimed performances with orchestras such as the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester (Strauss “Methamorphosen”), Orquesta Ciudad de León “Odón Alonso” (Walton Viola Concerto), Youth Aturias Symphony Orchestra (Bartok Viola Concerto, Mozart Sinfonia Concertante, Bach Brandenburg 6), Gijón Simphony Orchestra (Paganini “Sonata per la Gran Viola e Orchestra), Yale Philharmonia (Hindemith “Der Schwanendreher) under conductors such as Dorel Murgu, Shink Han, Óliver Díez, Jose Esteban Garcia Miranda, and David Afkham and has appeared in major concert halls throughout Europe.
Jesús’ repertoire ranges from the Baroque to the contemporary, in which he has a particular interest. In December 2007, he premiered the Sonata for Viola and Piano by Jorge Muñiz, a composer at Indiana University, South Bend. He has also recorded the Bach Suite Nº6 BWV 1012 and Penderecki Cadenza per Viola Sola, which were broadcast live on the National Radio of Spain, at the Auditorio Nacional de España for the “European Day of Music”.
Jesús began his studies at the age of 7 with Professor Wieslaw Rekucki Krupa, followed by study at the Conservatorio Superior de Musica “Eduardo Martinez Torner de Oviedo,” where upon graduation he was awarded the prestigious Honorary Diploma. Since then he was awarded a full scholarship to Yale University to continue his Certificate studies with Professor Jesse Levine and the Tokyo String Quartet. At the same time he was studying Architecture in Spain. He is currently studying at Mannes College of Music, New York, with Paul Neubauer.
He has also participated in master classes throughout Europe and the USA with international pedagogues such as David Shifrin, Ransom Wilson, Ani Kavafian, Claude Franck, Daniel Barenboim, Daniel Hope, Claude Franck, Boris Berman, and Peter Frankl.
In addition to his developing solo career, Jesús is very interested in studying and performing works of chamber music. He has received chamber music coaching from the Chilingirian Quartet at the Royal Collage of London and the Tokyo String Quartet at Yale University. He has performed at Botin’s Hall – Paloma O´Shea´s Piano Festival in Santander, Chamber Music Hall at the Auditorio Nacional de España, Auditorio Principe Felipe, as well as at festivals such as the Mozart Festival in A Coruña, Music Festival of Cádiz, and the International Workshop in Poland. In addition, he has participated in every National Viola Congress of Spain since its inception in 2005. In 2011 is invited to Bowdoin International Music Festival as Bowdoin Virtuosi guest and Music@Menlo in the International Program.
Jesús Rodriguez plays viola made by the Wroclaw violin maker, Krzysztof Mróz. Jesús is fluent in English, Spanish, Italian and French, and has studied architecture and piano. He currently resides in New York City.
